Purification of a high specific activity methane monooxygenase hydroxylase component from a type II methanotroph

The purification of the hydroxylase component of a 3 component methane monooxygenase from the type II methanotroph Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b is reported. The enzyme (240 kDa) has an (alpha beta gamma)2 subunit structure as observed for hydroxylases isolated from other Type I and Type II methanotrophs, but it exhibits a 5 to 10 fold higher specific activity and is isolated in 2 to 10 fold higher yield. EPR and Mössbauer spectra of the hydroxylase show that it contains a coupled iron center containing an even number of iron atoms. The spectra are similar to those of proteins known to contain oxo-bridged binuclear iron centers. The presence of such a center is unprecedented in a monooxygenase and suggests that a novel mechanism is utilized.